Manure-spreader.



J. c. & W. J. POPE.

MNRE SPRBADBR.

APPLOATION FILED NOV. 11,1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

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J. C. 6 W. J. POPE.

MANURE SPRBADBR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.11,191Z. 1,067,373. yPatented Ju1y15,1913.

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J. C. & W. J. POPE.

MANURE SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 1912 Patented July 15, 1913.

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J. C. & W. J. POPE.

MANURB SPBBADER.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV.11, 1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH co.,w^sM|NGTON. D. c.A

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JOHN C. POPE AND WILLIAM J'. POPE, OF PLANO, ILLINOIS.

MANURE-SPREADER.

To all ifi/1,0m t may concern Be it known that we, Jol-rn C. Porn and`l/VILLIAM J. Porn, citizens of the United States, and residents ofPlano, county of Kendall, and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Manure-Spreaders, of which the followingis a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to manure spreaders, and has for its object toprovide a machine which shall be effective in use and of such simpleconstruction as to reduce its initial cost and the liability of itsgetting out of order, as also to require but little power for itsoperation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a manurespreader embodying the features of improvement provided by theinvention, some of the partsl being broken away; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same, one of the rear carrying wheels being removed andthe rear axle being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a detail centrallongitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is adetail sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is similarto Fig. 2 but shows the other side of the machine; Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view illustrating a form of driving connection which ispreferably employed upon the machine; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional viewtaken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5; F ig. 8 is a detail sectional viewtaken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a sectional view ltaken onthe line 9 9 of Fig. 5; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a detailof the apron construction and Fig. 11 is a detail perspective viewillustrating a form of clutch mechanism which may be used upon themachine.

rlhe invention is preferably applied to machines of the general typehaving a body which resembles in general form the body of a farm wagon,and is provided with distributing apparatus at its rear end and with amovable apron for supporting the load and feeding it to the distributingapparatus. The machine illustrated is of the specific type known asreturn apron spreaders.

The apron shown is composed of a plurality of sections l10 connectededge to edge. Preferably these sections follow the form disclosed in ourPatent No. 901,123, dated October 13, 1908, and are each provided withPatented July 15, 1913.

Serial No. 730,702.

upturned ends 11, 12, forming sides for the hopper and serving toprevent lateral displacement of the load as it is presented to thedistributing apparatus. The distributing apparatus conveniently takesthe form of a revolving beater' or drum 13.

The frame of the machine is preferably constructed of metal, andcomprises longitudinal side sills 14, 15, an intermediate longitudinalsill 16, and transverse sills 17, 18, 19 and 20. All of these sills areconveniently formed from angle irons. As shown, each of the longitudinalsills comprises a pair of such bars, as 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, 26, thebars of each pair being spaced apart to receive anti-friction rollers,as 27, between them for supporting the apron. The slats 10 of the apronare preferably also formeel of metal, as from metal sheets cut andformed to the desired shape. lVhen so formed their adjacent edges areconnected by providing apertures, as 28, at intervals adjacent one edgeof each slat, and by mounting hooks 29 upon the slats to project beyondthe edge remote from the apertures 28 for engaging the said apertures ofthe next adjacent slats. In the form shown only a suiicient number ofslats 10 are provided to form an apron extending from end to end of theframe. l/Vhen so constructed the two ends of the apron are connected toform a complete loop, as by chains 30, extending between the end slats10 of the apron. This loop turns about guide wheels `58, 59, locatedadjacent the opposite ends of the frame. Each of the guide wheels 59 ismounted upon one of the longitudinal sills, as 14, 15. The guide wheels58 prefer'- ably take the form of sprockets, and are loosely mountedupon a shaft 112 which extends transversely through the frame of themachine adjacent its rear end.

The upturned ends 11, 12, of the slats 10 are supplemented, in formingsides for the hopper, b v plates 31 and 32, one of which extends alongeach side of the frame of the machine. These plates are preferablysupported by uprights, as 33 and 34, rising from the corresponding sidesills 14, 15. To prevent the upturned ends 11, 12, of the slats 10binding against the uprights 33, 34, in event of lateral displacement ofthe load, as when the machine is used upon a sloping field. certain ofthe uprights 33, 34, are provided with guide shoes 35 for engagementwith the upturned ends 11, 12,

of the slats. The slat 10 of the apron nearest the forward end of themachine is provided with an upstanding plate 36 which serves as afollower board.

If desired a horizontally disposed continuous feed chain 37 may beemployed for moving the apron. As shown, this chain turns aboutsprockets 38 and 39 located centrally upon the frame of t-he machineadjacent .its opposite ends. The sprocket wheel 38 is fixed upon a shortvertical shaft 40, most clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. Thisshaft'is journaled in a bracket 41 fixed upon the rear-most transversesill 20 of the frame. The bracket 41 is recessed, as indicated at 42, toreceive a worm wheel 43 mounted on the shaft 40 below the sprocket wheel38.

The sprocket wheel 39 is most desirably adjustably mounted in the frameof the machine, as in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. To thisend itis fitted upon a stud 44 carried by a plate 45. The plate 45 isslidingly mounted 'between the angle bars 23, 24, of the intermediatesill 16, and rests 4upon the transverse sills 17, ,18. The angle bars23, 24, of the intermediate sill 16 are extended in front of the frontend sill 17, and carry a transverse bar 46 at their forward ends. Thebar 46 is shown as being formed of angle iron, and extends beyond thebars 23, 24, at each side to serve as a foot rest for the operator. Italso serves as a stop for supporting the forward end of an adjustingbolt 47. This bolt is extended through the upright flange of the bar 46and through the upturned end 48 of the plate 45. Nuts 49 and 50, runningon the bolt 47 at opposite sides of the part 48, serve for vadjustablymoving the plate 45 to regulate the distance between the sprocket wheels38 and 39.

A clamp, comprising a bolt 51 and washers 52, 53, serves for fixing theplate 45 in adjusted position.l As shown, the bolt 51 is extendedthrough a slotted aperture 54 in the plate 45, and the washers 52, 53,serve for engaging the upper and lower margins of the angle bars 23, 24.

Preferably the upstanding flanges of the angle bars 23, 24, arerecessed, as indicated at 55, to provide clearance for the sprocketwheel 3 9 and chain 37. The chain 37 is operatively connected to theapron, as by means of `a stud 56 mounted on the chain and projectingthrough an aperture 57 in one of the slats 10 of the apron (Fig. 6).Preferably the aperture 57 is of slotted form to accommodate thetransverse movement of the stud 5,6 in passing about the sprocket wheels38 and 39.

The distributer 13 extends between and is journaled at its opposite endsin bracket arms 60 and 61. These 'bracket arms are respectively securedto and form rearward extensions of the two side sills 14 and 15. Therear apron shaft 112 is journaled adjacent its opposite ends in thebracket arms l60 and 61.

Power for operating the several parts of the machine is preferablyderived from the rear axle, as 62, and is transmitted to the apronthrough the beater 13. By means of this arrangement only a singlesprocket wheel 63 is required to be mount-ed on the rear axle 62. Thissprocket wheel is preferably fixed upon the axle at one side of themachine, and rotates continuously with the axle during the movement ofthe machine over the ground.-

A sprocket chain 64 serves for transmitting power from the sprocketwheel 63 to the beater 13 when it is desired that the several parts ofthe machine should be operated. As shown, the sprocket chain 64 turnsover a sprocket wheel 65 fixed upon an end of the beater shaft, and overguide pulleys 66 and 67. The guide pulleys 66 and 67 are rotatablymounted upon one side of a lever arm 68. This lever arm is pivoted uponthe beater shaftat one end and projects forwardly therefrom over thesprocket wheel 63. The forward end of the arm 68 is adjustably supportedby a toggle comprising links 69 and 7 0,whereby the sprocket chain 64may be raised and lowered into and out of engagement with the sprocketwheel 63. One of the links, as 69, of the toggle is pivotally supportedat its lower end upon a bracket 71 carried by the side sill 14. The twolinks 69, 70, are pivotally united at 72, and the other end of the linkis pivotally attached to the outer end of the lever arm 68,

' An operating rod 73 is connected to the toggle pivot 72 at one end,and extends forwardly therefrom to a hand lever 74 located adjacent theforward end of the machine. This'hand lever is pivotally secured at itslower end to a bracket 75 carried by the side sill 14, and extendsupwardly therefrom through a slotted guideway 76 to a position withinconvenient reach from the drivers seat. The slotted guideway 76 ispreferably mounted upon the side of the plate 31. As shown, the guideway76 is provided with a shoulder 77 adjacent its forward end'. Thisshoulder may be engaged by the hand lever 74 to hold the hand lever inits forward position. A spring 78 reacts between the rear end of the rod73 and a rigid part of the frame, as the upright 33 at the rear of themachine, to retract the hand lever 74 and raise the sprocket chain 64out of engagement with the sprocket wheel 63.

When the machine is in operation the hand lever 74 is engaged with theshoulder 77. A cam lug 79, mounted uponthe upturned end 11 of one of theslats 10 of the apron, engages the hand lever 74 to release nooners itfrom the shoulder 77 when the apron reaches the limit of its returnmovement. The spring 78 then serves to raise the sprocket chain GIL outof engagement with the sprocket wheel 68 to arrest the action of theoperative parts of the machine. By reason of the presence of the cam lug79 at the side of the hand lever 74rwhen the operation of the machine isto be begun, it follows that in starting the machine the operator musthold the hand lever 74C in its forward position until the apron has beenretracted far enough to permit the hand lever 7st to be engaged with thestop shoulder 77 in front of the cam lug `7 9.

A crank arm 8O and a sprocket wheel 81, mounted o-n that end of thebeater shaft remote from the sprocket wheel 65, serves for transmittingpower from the beater 18 to the apron. The crank arm 80 serves fordriving th'e apron at low speed, as when the loadv is being moved towardthe beater. The sprocket wheel 81 is employed for driving the apron atits higher speed, as when it is being returned to the loading position.The crankarm 80 rotates with the beater shaft at all times.

The sprocket wheel 81 is loosely mounted on the beater shaft, and clutchmechanism, most clearly shown in Fig. 9, is provided for causing thesprocket wheel to turn with.

the shaft. This clutch mechanism comprises an annular series of clutchteeth 82 formed upon the inside face of the hub of the crank arm 80 anda coperating series of clutch teeth 83 formed on the hub of the sprocketwheel 81. A spring 84, coiled about the beater shaft and reactinglaterally between the sprocket wheel 81 and the supporting bracket 61,serves to urge the sprocket wheel 81 toward the crank arm 80 to bringthe two series of clutch teeth 82, 83, into engagement.

A cam plate 85, rotatably mounted upon the hub of the sprocket wheel 81,serves for moving the sprocket wheel away from the hub of the crank arm80 against the effort of the spring' 84:, to disengage the clutch teeth82, 88. The cam plate 85 reacts be-u tween the adjacent side face of thesprocket wheel 81 at one side, and a stationary collar 86 at the otherside. The collar 86 incloses the clutch teeth 82, 83. It may be held inposition in any convenient way. As shown, it is integrally connectedwith a part of the bracket arm 61 through arms 87, 88. These arms extendabout the sprocket wheel 81 (Fig. 1).

Provision is preferably made for automatically turning' the cam plate 85when the apron reaches the limit of its movement in each direction. Asshown, the cam plate 85 is provided with a crank arm 89. A rod 90 (Figs.1 and 5) connects this crank arm with a lever 91 located near the frontend of the machine. The lever 91 is pivotally mounted at 92 upon theangle iron 2liof the intermediate sill 16, and extends laterallytherefrom to its point of connection with thc rod 90 beyond the sidesill 15. A spring 98, connected at one end with the lever 91 and at itsother end with the angle iron 253 of the side sill 1-1, serves toyieldingly hold the lever arm 91 in position when so moved as to bringthe spring to either side of the lever pivot 92.

A shipper rod 9/l is provided for shifting the lever 91. This shipperrod is pivotally connected to the lever 91 at its forward end andextends rearwardly therefrom through the frame of the machine. As shown,it rests loosely upon the transverse sills 18, 19 and 20, and extendsthrough an apertured contact lug 95 (Fig. G) carried by and dependingfrom the forward one of the slats 10 of the apron. Stops 96 and 97 aremounted upon the shipper rod 9-1 adjacent its opposite ends forengagement by the contact lug 95 to shift the rod 94 and move the lever91. Preferably one of the stops, as 97, is adjustably mounted upon theshipper rod, as by being made in the form of a threaded nut which runsupon a threaded part 98 of the rod.

The crank-arm 80 is connected by a link 99 with a pawl arm 100. The pawlarm 100 is pivotally mounted upon a stub shaft 101. This stub shaftprojects outwardly from a .rigid part of the frame of the inachine, asfrom the inner end portion of the bracket arm 01 (Fig. 7). The pawl arm100 is preferably strengthened by being made in the form of a yoke. Agear wheel 102 and a sprocket wheel 103 are journaled on the stub shaft101 between the arms of the yoke. These wheels preferably turn t0-gether upon the stub shaft 101. To that end they are conveniently formedintegral, as shown.

The pawl 104 of the pawl arm 100 plays over the gear wheel 10Q. Foradjustably regulating the effective stroke of the pawl a shield 105 isprovided. This shield is shown as being carried by a crank-arm 106,pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the stub shaft 101. A hand lever107 is provided for adjustably moving the shield 105. This hand lever isconveniently mounted adjacent the forward end of the machine at thatside remote from the hand lever 74. Tt is shown as being pivoted at itslower end upon a bracket 108 carried by the side sill 16, and extendsupwardly therefrom to within convenient reach from the drivers seat. Anotched quadrant 109, mounted upon the side plat-e 82 adjacent the handlever 107, serves for holding the hand lever in adjusted position. A rod110 operatively connects the hand lever 107 with the movable shield 105.

The gear wheel 102 meshes with a pinion 111 fixed upon the adjacent endof the rear apron shaft 112. The turning of the shaft 112 serves forcommunicating motion to the drive chain 37 for moving the apron, astl'irough a worm wheel 113 mounted on the shaft 112 and meshing with theworm wheel 43. The sprocket wheels 81 and 103 are operatively connectedby a chain 114, whereby the sprocket wheel 103 and gear 102 are drivenfrom the sprockety wheel 81 when the clutch teeth 82, 83, are engaged.At such times the wheel 102 is so rotated that its periphery moves inadvance of the pawl 104, and the pawl arm 100, while being continuouslyoscillated, is not effectively operative.

`During the discharge of the load the clutch teeth 82,83,will bedisengaged,where by the apron is moved to advance the load upon thebeater 13 by the engagement of the pawl 104 with the gear 102. The rateat which the apron is moved during this part of the operation isregulated by using the hand lever 107 to adjust the position of the pawlshield 105. When the load has been completely discharged the contact lug95 (Fig. 6) engages the stop 97 on the rear end of the shipper rod 94(Fig. 1) and swings the lever 91 to turn the cam plate 85 (Fig. 9). Thispermits the sprocket wheel 81 to be moved outwardly by the spring 84,and its clutch teeth 83 are brought into engagement with the clutchteeth 82 upon the hub of the crank arm 80. The gear wheel 102 is nowrotated in the same direction as before, but at a greater speed. Thedirection of travel of the apron having been reversed by the movement ofthe stud 56 (Fig. 6) about the sprocket wheel 38, it is returned to theloading position by driving the machine through a short distance overthe ground.

Then the contact lug 95 reaches the stop 96 upon the forward end of theshipper rod 94, the lever 91 is pushed forwardly and rotates the camplate 84 to release the sprocket wheel 81. The cam lug 79 now contactswith the hand lever 74 to disengage it from the stop shoulder 77, andthe spring 78 serves to straighten the toggle links 69, 70, and raisethe sprocket chain G4 out of engagement with the sprocket wheel 63. Theoperative parts of the machine are thereby brought to rest.

The invention provides a manure spreader which may be completelyconstructed of metal, and which is durable and certain in operation. Ifdesired the frame of the machine may be strengthened by the use of trussrods, one of which is shown at 115 (Fig. 2). This truss rod is connectedat its rear end to the outer end of the bracket arm 60 and extendsdiagonally upward therefrom to pass over a bolt 116 mounted on one ofthe uprights 33, and thence diagonally downward. The forward end of thetruss rod is connected to the angle bar 21 of the side sill 14, as at117.

It is usually desirable to provide a guard for engaging the top of theload immediately in front of the beater 13. For supporting such a guardwe preferably extend the uprights 33, 34, at the rear of the frame abovethe side plates 31, 32. The guard comprises a shaft 118, and a pluralityof arms 119 fixed in the shaft 118 and ext-ending radially outwardtherefrom. The shaft 118 is journaled adjacent its opposite ends in theextended uprights 33, 34.

A spring 120 is preferably employed to yieldingly hold the arms 119 ofthe guard in contact with the top of the load. For this purpose thespring 120 is connected at its opposite ends to the side plate 32adjacent the upright 34, and to a crank arm 121 mounted on the shaft 118at the corresponding side of the machine. The construction provides aguard which will edectually prevent the beater 13'from discharging theload in irregular quantities.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a manure spreader, in combination, areversely movable hopper bottom, an endless drive chain moving in onedirection only and arranged in parallel lengths eX- tending in thedirection of movement of the hopper bottom, and connection between alink of the chain and the hopper bottom.

2. In a. manure spreader, in combination, a frame, a slatted apronhaving its ends connected, and means for reciprocating the apron in theframe comprising an -endless drive chain moving in one direction onlyand arranged in parallel lengths, and connection between a link of thedrive chain and a slat of the apron.

3. In a manure spreader, in combination, a longitudinally reciprocablehopper bottom. having a transverse slot, an endless drive chain arrangedin a horizontal loop below the hopper bottom, and a stud mount ed on alink of the chain and extending into the said transverse slot of thehopper bottom.

4. In a manure spreader, in combination, a frame, a pair of horizontallydisposed guide wheels one adjacent each end of the frame, a pair ofvertically disposed guide wheels one adjacent each end of the frame, thevertically disposed guide wheel at the rear end of the frame beinglocated beyond the horizontally disposed guide wheel at the same end ofthe frame, a slatted apron having its ends connected to form a loopturning over the vertically disposed guide wheels, a slat of the apronadjacent its forward end having a transverse slot, an endless drivechain turning over the horizontally disposed guide wheels, and a studmounted on the drive chain and entering the said slot of the apron slat.

5. In a manure spreader, in combination, a body having wheels, a shaftturned by the said wheels, an apron shaft, means for driving the apronshaft from the first mentioned shaft at dierent speeds in the samedirection comprising a crank fixed on the rst mentioned shaft, a ratchetwheel fixed on the apron shaft, a swinging pawl arm cooperating with theratchet wheel, a link connecting the crank and pawl arm, a sprocketwheel on each of said shafts, a chain connecting the sprocket Wheels anda clutch controlling one of the sprocket wheels.

6. In a manure spreader, in combination, a shaft, a beater mounted onsaid shaft, means for driving the shaft, a feed apron, and means forreversely driving the feed apron at diiferent speeds in the twodirections comprising an apron feed shaft, an endless chain, connectionbetween a link of the chain and the apron, a guide wheel for the endlesschain located adjacent each end of the apron travel, gear connectionbetween I.the apron feed shaft and one of the guide wheels,clutcli-controlled gear connection between the first-mentioned shaft andthe apron feed shaft, ratchet and pawl mechanism on the apron feedshaft, a crank arm on the first-mentioned shaft, and operativeconnection between the crank arm and the ratchet and pawl mechanism.

JOHN O. POPE.

WILLIAM J. POPE.

Witnesses:

N. II. HINCKLEY, GEORGIA E. HIscooK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

